Ash tray construction



Dec. 20, 1966 J. w. ROYAL 3,292,640

ASH TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 20, 1966 J. w. ROYAL ASH TRAY CONSTRUCTION 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1964 United States Patent 3,292,640 ASH TRAY CONSTRUCTION John W. Royal, 35 Washington St, Maldeu, Mass. 02148 Filed May 5, 1964,.Ser..N0. 365,070 2 Claims. (Cl. 131235) This invention relates to an improved ash tray construction for use in containing burning cigarettes, cigars, and the like and collecting smoldering ashes and maintaining both the burning embers and ashes in a safety position to resist overturning and-to minimize chance of fire hazard.

It is a chief object of the invention to provide an improved ash tray. construction and to devise in combination with a removable base an ash tray section formed with safety holding means which can be securely placed and held on various metal surfaces such as those of furniture, household equipment, and the like where the metal surface is comprised by a ferrous type metal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rotatable ash tray body in combination with cigarette holding and snuffing-means which may be turned into any desired position and which may be removed from the ash tray body to constitute a separate cigarette-holding device when located upon other supporting surfaces.

The nature of the invention and its other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is-a plan view of the ash tray construction of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section taken centrally ofthe ash tray shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view showing the ash tray body with the detachable cigarette holder part removed therefrom;

FIGURE 4 is a detail plan view of the detachable cigarette holder device; and

FIGURE 5 is a detail plan view of a special safety match book arrangement illustrating recessed edge portions for engaging with the match book receptacle shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

In accordance with the invention, I provide an ash tray body which is normally supported for use on a base member but which can be detached from the base and securely held on various other surfaces in a safe position. As shown in the drawings, numeral 2 denotes the base number which is of generally circular shape and which has formed at its upper side a centrally located neck portion 4. The neck portion 4 is recessed at 6 to receive a rotatable spindle 8 in which is received a rotor plate 10 preferably comprised of a ferrous metal.

Numeral 12 refers to an ash tray body which as shown in FIGURE 1 is also of circular shape and which has its bottom recessed to receive a magnet element 14 for releasably engaging with the ferrous metal plate 10 as shown in FIGURE 2. A handle 11 is also provided at one side of the ash tray body as may be observed from an inspection of FIGURE 2.

By means of the arrangement described, it will be observed that the ash tray body 12 is not only rotatable on the base 2, but may also be separated therefrom and used independently either by being held in the hand, or by being placed on a metal surface of an article of furniture, bench, or other object where it may be securely held by means of the magnet element 14. It is pointed out that the ash tray body, in either its engaged position on its base which may be relatively heavy, or when held by the magnet on a separate ferrous metal surface, tends to resist displacement and thus constitutes a desirable safety holding feature.

I may also desire to combine with the removable ash tray body 12 other accessories including especially a special match holding means and a detachable cigarette holding and snufling member. As noted in FIGURE 3 the ash tray body 12 is constructed at its upper side With an outer annular section 12a and an inner ash container section 12b. Along the outer annular section 12a is further formed an extension part 13 which is recessed to provide a shouldered section 16 and a relieved surface 18 on which is mounted a ferrous metal plate 20.

On the outer annular section 12a, I mount a cigarette holding and snutling coil 22 which extends across the ash containing surface as shown in FIGURE 1 and which thus is adapted to hold a burning cigarette in a position such that all ashes and embers will fall into the container part 12b. To support the coil 22 in this position, I further provide a coil supporting tray 24 which is shaped as shown in FIGURES 1 and 4 and which has a folded-over edge portion 24a adapted to be resiliently engaged in slots 26 and 23 as best shown in FIGURE 2.

Secured to the outer undersurface of the tray 24 is a magnet 30 which is of a thickness chosen such that it may engage against the metal plate 20 on the ash tray body with an intermediate portion of the tray 24 resting upon the shoulder 16- as noted in FIGURE 2. The thickness of the magnet also corresponds substantially to the depth of the folded-over edge 24a with the result that these parts may constitute legs for supporting the tray and snuffing coil in a raised position when the tray is located ona surface other than the ash tray body.

It is further pointed out that the magnet 30 thus serves to firmly hold the cigarette snufling coil on the ash tray body 12 and yet when it is desired the tray and snufiing coil maybe removed and either held in the hand or placed on any other desired surface in a relatively. safe position.

If the supporting surface is of av ferrous metal type as is. frequently the case with household furniture surfaces, a-

further safety feature is realized by the holding force of the magnet 30 resisting overturning of the tray. It should also be noted that the tray may be used to support a cigarette in the spiral snuffing coil with the burning end of the cigarette located above the tray. In this position the tray can receive embers and ashes to a limited extent and the magnet 30 may be engaged on the rotatable plate of the base if desired.

In either type of use of' the snufiing coil, it will be appreciated that the respective turns of the coil 22 may be spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of a cigarette, with the result that when a burning cigarette is forced between two adjacent turns of the coil a light compressive force is exerted which tends to pinch the tobacco portion of the cigarette contained therebetween to an extent such that further burning of the cigarettte will be terminated and the cigarette will become extinguished.

The matchbook-holding accessory feature of the invention is shown at the right hand side of FIGURE 1 and also FIGURES 2 and 3. This matchbook-holding arrangement may be constructed preferably as an integral part of the ash tray body 12, or it may be separately formed and attached to the ash tray body. Numeral 32 indicates the matchbook receptacle and as will be noted from the figures it comprises a flat supporting back portion 34 which extends upwardly and outwardly in an angularly disposed position to receive a book of matches M in a convenient position for use. The receptacle is formed with a bottom slot 36 formed to snugly receive the bottom section of the book of matches M as shown in FIGURE 2, while at the same time maintaining the striking surface S of the match book in an exposed posi- Patented Dec. 20, 1966 3 tion immediately above the slot 36. Located along opposite sides of the supporting back 34 are spaced apart retaining edges 40 and 42 which are adapted to engage over opposite edges of the matchbook as shown in FIGURE 3 to slidably secure this member.

It is pointed out that by thus containing the bottom of the book of matches and both side edges in a firmly engaged manner, the operation of tearing oif a match and striking it against the book striking surface S is greatly facilitated and this operation is further rendered convenient by reason of the fact that the ash tray body may be turned into any desired position of rotation on its base 2. V

In book matches of the type shown in the drawings, it is also customary to utilize a cover C which is normally inserted between the bottom section of the book and the matches supported therein. In using the book of matches in the receptacle of the invention it may be desired to have the cover C folded back into a position such as shown in FIGURE 2. To facilitate holding the cover C in such a folded-back position, the handle member 11, earlier described, is spaced away from the receptacle 34 a distance which is suitable for retaining the cover C as shown in FIGURE 2.' When inserting the book of matches in the receptacle the opposite edges 40, 42 tend to become impressed in the opposite edges of the book of matches at the point where the book cover bottom is folded over and thus there are produced indentations 44 and 46 in the folded-over portion of the matchbook M with the result that these impressed surfaces slidably engage the retaining edges 40 and 42 of the receptacle and hold the book very firmly in place, particularly when a match is being torn off for use.

While I have shown preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be resorted to and that the magnet elements may be modified and used either independently or in con junction with one another, all within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved ash tray construction comprising an ash tray body formed with an outer annular section and an inner section recessed to define an ash containing space, said outer annular section being formed with vertical slots at two opposite sides thereof, said outer annular section at a point intermediate the slots being and consisting of a snuffing coil and a coil-supporting tray, said coil having resilient helical turns spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a cigarette to provide 'snuffing surfaces fora burning cigarette held therebetween, said coil supporting tray being formed along one side with a bent-over edge portion for resiliently engaging in the said slots of the ash tray body and supporting the coil in a raised position above the ash-containing space and said coil supporting tray further including at an undersurface thereof a magnet element arranged to engage with the said ferrous metal plate on the relieved surface of the ashtray body.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which the magnet at the underside of the coil supporting tray and the bent-over edge portion are of a size corresponding to one another so as to constitute leg portions for supporting the tray on a ferrous metal surface in a relatively level raised safe position. 4

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 242,120 5/1881 Eastman 206-72 425,768 4/ 1890 Ezell. 1,666,851 4/1928 Good 206-72 2,213,046 8/1940 Mather 131240 2,217,514 10/ 1940 Henry. 2,250,178 7/1941 Brush 13l.240 2,308,718 1/1943 Schallis 131-239 X I 2,424,695 7/ 1947 1 Jork 131,-240 2,591,175 4/1952 Martin 131-239 X 2,703,091 3/1955 Kaufman et a1. 131-235 2,737,956 3/1956 Casper 13-1-235 2,991,789 7/1961 Smith et a1 131-239 X 3,013,688 12/1961 Luning. 3,029,824 4/ 1962 Goodell 131240 3,094,129 6/1963 Willis 131241 X SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED ASH TRAY CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING AN ASH TRAY BODY FORMED WITH AN OUTER ANNULAR SECTION SAND AN INNER SECTION RECESSED TO DEFINE AN ASH CONTAINING SPACE, SAID OUTER ANNULAR SECTION BEING FORMED WITH VERTICAL SLOTS AT TWO OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, SAID OUTER ANNULAR SECTION AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE SLOTS BEING RECESSED TO FORM A SHOULDER AND A RELIEVED SURFACE PROJECTING OUTWARDLY, A FERROUS METAL PLATE SECURED ON SAID RELIEVED SURFACE, A REMOVABLE CIGARETTE HOLDING AND SNUFFING DEVICE DETACHABLY SUPPORTED ON THE ASH TRAY BODY AND CONSISTING OF A SNUFFING COIL AND A COIL-SUPPORTING TRAY, SAID COIL HAVING RESILIENT HELICAL TURNS SPACED APART A DISTANCE LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF A CIGARETTE TO PROVIDE SNUFFING SURFACES FOR A BURNING CIGARETTE HELD THEREBETWEEN, SAID COIL SUPPORTING TRAY BEING FORMED ALONG ONE SIDE WITH A BENT-OVER EDGE PORTION FOR RESILIENTLY ENGAGING IN THE SAID SLOTS OF THE ASH TRAY BODY AND SUPPORTING THE COIL IN A RAISED POSITION ABOVE THE ASH-CONTAINING SPACE AND SAID COIL SUPPORTING TRAY FURTHER INCLUDING AT AN UNDERSURFACE THEREOF A MAGNET ELEMENT ARRANGED TO ENGAGE WITH THE SAID FERROUS METAL PLATE ON THE RELIEVED SURFACE OF THE ASH TRAY BODY. 